Combine cleaning shoe



June 7, 1960 R. ASHTON 2,939,531

COMBINE CLEANINGSHOE Filed Aug. 16, 1956 4 Slleels--Sheei'I 1 L Q is A c" L E s EG i ffl $2, o 7 \1 22 7 *fr S u, 1:. 7 b..

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no 2 N N INVENToR.

ROBERT ASHTON ATTORNEY.

R. ASHTON COMBINE CLEANING SHOE' June 7, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1956 INVENTOA ROBERT ASHTON BY mi RNEY.

June 7, 1960 R. ASHTON COMBINE: CLEANING SHOE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 16, 1956 i INVENToR ROBERT ASHTON Pf ATTORNEY.

June 7, 1960 R. ASHTON COMBINE CLEANING SHOE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 16, 1956 l INVENToR. ROBERT ASHTON ATTORNEY.

COMBINE CLEANING SHOE Robert Ashton, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, assignor to Massey-Ferguson Inc., a corporation of Maryland Filed Aug. 16, 1956, Ser. No. 604,373

4 Claims. (Cl. 209-318) separating and classifying screens or sieves which arev reciprocated rapidly in a fore and aft direction to facilitate the passing of the grain through the screens. At the same time a blast of air is delivered to the underside of the shoe by the :tanning mill which `is generally of the same width as the shoe itself. This blast of air is directed up- Wa-ndly and rearwardly through the sieves and acts to carry the lighter material, suchas the chaff and straw,`

off the shoe and out the rear end of the combine. The material as it is delivered to the reciprocating cleaning shoe is not always spread evenly across the width of the shoe but often comes in bunches. In other words, the thickness of the layer of crop material across the width of the shoe varies considerably and this uneven; loading of the cleaning mechanisms has been a troublesome problem, The difcult'yhas beeny aggravated in more recent years with ,the advent ofincreasingly wider machines where the width of the cleaning `mechanism and fan mill may be on the-onder of L1fZinches.

The air pressure delivered by the fan mill varies aci cordingly therefore, across the width of the bottom of the shoe, depending on how the latter is loaded. Stated otherwise, the distribution of the air flow is not uniform across the shoe width, the flow of airV taking the path of least resistance, that is', through the thin area or lightly loaded portions of the screens. This results in inellicient and incomplete separation of the grain, the large airvolume through the thin areas tends to carry grain over the shoe with the refuse, and the heavily loaded areas progressively build up to a-point where they plug the machine.

Accordingly, it is one object of this invention to provide a cleaning mechanism of the above type which controls the distribution of air over the width of the shoe.

It is a more specific object of the invention to providel ashaker shoe of the above type which maintains completely separate air streams throughout the entire lengthV of the shaker shoe. lt is a general object of this invention to provide an improved and highly efficient reciprocating cleaning mechanism for a combine which is exceptionally strong andY rigid and which permits more efficient operation when working on a hillside.

Another object of this invention is to provide `an improved cleaning shoe for alcombi'ne which utilizes the air blast delivered to it in an 'eicie'ntrnanner and results in ,A being able to use a fan mill .of smaller capacity 'with a corresponding more economical useJof other component parts.

Other objects and advantagesof this invention benited States Patent O Patented June 7, 1960 come more apparent from the following detailed description and attached sheets of drawings wherein a form of the invention is illustrated. Accordingly, the present invention may be considered as comprising the various, constructions, combinations, or subcombinations of parts as is hereinafter more fully set forth in the detailed description and in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure l is a perspective View into a combine embodying the invention, taken generally from the rear of the combine, certain parts being broken away and others removed and also having the sieves removed for the sake of clarity.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure l, but with the sieves in place and the cleaning shoe assembled.

Figure 3 is a left side elevational View of the improved cleaning mechanism shown in Figures l and 2, certain parts being in section and others removed or broken away for clarity of the drawings.

Figure 4 is a sectional viewv taken on line 4 4 of Figure 3 but on an enlarged scale.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3, but on an enlarged scale.

. Referring more particularly to the drawings, the left and right sides 10, 11 of the combine body are carried by the main frame structure 12 for movement over the eld. A support tube 13 which forms part of the frame structure has plates 14, 15 welded to its ends to which are rigidly secured by bolt means 16, the sides 10, 11 respectively. Y

As shown in Figures l and 2, conventional straw walkers 17 are mounted within the combine body on the throw portions 18 of the crank 19 for a bodily rotative movement in the well known manner.

A conventional grain pan 22 is also provided within the combine body and serves to deliverv the grain, chaff, particles of straw and other refuse, rearwardly over its discharge end 23.

Also within the body proper of the combine and at its lowermost side, are the conventional clean grain auger 24 and the tailings auger 25 which are rotatably mounted in -the body sides 10, 11 and driven so as to convey the clean grain and the tailings into their respective elevators for subsequent storage and rethreshing, respectively, in a manner Well known in this art.

YA fanning mill, indicated generally by numeral 28, is provided within the combine body and the mill has a dischange opening 29 which faces in a rearward direction, in respect tothe `normal direction of combine travel. The fan mill is approximately the same width as the combine body and serves to deliver a stream of air under pressure, commonly called, the air blast in a rearward and upward direction, as indicated by the arrows 30 in Figure 3, and through the cleaning mechanism to be described. In accordance with the teachings of my co-pending U.S. application Serial No. 566,708, led February 20, 1956, now Patent No. 2,849,118, and entitled, Fanning Mill for Combines, a center baffle plate 32 is provided which has overcome some of the difficulties of uneven air distribution over the width of the shaker. shoe. The present invention finds particular utility when used with a fanning mill of the general type, disclosed in my said -ap'- If fur-- plication, although it is not limited to such use. ther details of construction or koperation of the' tanning mill is deemednecessary, reference may be had tosaid application.

drive for the shoe 34ico'mes from thecranlisi (only one shown) which are secured to each end of shaft 39 which in turn is mounted to the body sides 10, 11. 'I'he lower ehds 40 of the cranks 58 are rotatably attached to plates 42, 44 respectively (Figures 3 and 4) extending forwardly from the sides of the shoe 34. The upper ends 46 are reciprocated in the. conventional manner to cause the entire shoe to reciprocatorily swing fore and 'aft and thereby cause the material delivered toit by the rear edge 23 of the grain pan `to move rearwardly thereover.

The shaker shoe 34, as it is also commonly referred to, includes substantially vertical side walls 48, Si) which extend in a general fore and aft direction, regarding normal combine travel. The shoe walls 48, '56* are spaced apart in a transverse direction so the shoe is of a width substantially the same as that of the combine body and fan mill 2S. In the larger self-propelled combines which are being advocated in these times, this straight through width is on the order of 42 inches. This invention is directed to means for controlling the ilow or distribution of air across this relatively wide shoe regardless of the manner in which it has been loaded with crop material.

Crank attaching plates 42, 4e are secured, as by spot welding 52, to shoe walls 43, 56 and extend forwardly therefrom. Rigidly connecting the front ends of walls 48, t? is the lower screen retainingy channel strip 54 and the upper screen retaining plate 56 having streng-thening channels 57, 5S pressed therein. Retaining strip 54 and plate 56 are welded to the inwardly turned ilanges 60, 6l of side walls 43, Sti. Bottom edges of walls 43, 50 are rigidly secured together by the clean grain chute 62 having upturncd flanges 63, 64 which are spot welded as at 65 to walls 43, Sil respectively. This chute 62 serves to deliver the grain, which has passed through the shoe, to the auger 24. A tailings chute 66 is also spot welded as at 69 to walls @38, Sil by its upturned flanges 67, 68, respectively. This chute 66 delivers the tailings, which have passed over the chailer screen 70 and through the tailings screen 7l, to the auger 25. Chute 66 also has an upwardly turned ilange 72 extending along its rear edge to which are secured hooks 73, 74 of the overcenter door latches 75, 76 respectively. Thus the framework of the shoe includes side walls 4S, 50, front members 54, 56; chutes 62, 66 and also the rear'mounting shaft 35 which together form a rigid cleaning shoe capable of being reciprocated as a unit. The shoe further includes a substantially vertical intermediate baille plate or wall 7S which is arranged in a fore and aft direction in substantial parallelism with side walls 48, 5G. it will be noted that plate 7'8 is substantially coextensive with the length of the side walls as well as with their height. VIn other words, the intermediate plate 7S divides theentire shoe into two separate compartments 80 and 8'1.

The center baille 78 is also rigidly secured by its front flanges 82, S3 (Fig. 4) to front shoe members 54, 56. The lower llange 84 of the baille is welded to chute 62 whileV a bracket 85 is welded to the rear end oi the baille and to chute 66.

Complementary guide means are provided for slidably receiving the various screens. These guide means comprise sheet metal strips 87, 88 of a cross section best shown in Figure 4. These strips 87, 88 are similar except that they are complementary to each other, one being a left and the other being a ri t. They all have an inclined upper grain shedding portion 89 which causes the crop material to fall onto the screen and prevents accumulation of material along the edge of the screens. The strips 87, `88 also include a lower channel shaped screen receiving portion 90 which is adapted to slidably receive its screen.

The strips thus formed are exceptionally rigidand add a considerable degree of strength to the entire shoe when welded to their respectivewalls 4and bailleplate. An upper and lower screen is easily inserted in their respective pair of complementary strips between each side wall 48, 50 and the intermediate baille plate.

A single rear door 91 encloses the rear end ofthe shoe Yand'is removably attached on hooks 92 and held by overcenter latches 75. The tailings screens 71 each have Va plate 93 hinged at 94 to its rear side and bythe wing nut and bolt means 95 is adjustable as to its angle. In other Words, by raising the rear end of the screen 71, it will be inclined upwardly and rearwardly to retard the ilow of tailings thereover. The entire shoe can be made readily accessible from the rearend by loosening Wing nuts 95, removing screens 71, opening latches 75 and then lifting the entiredoor 9i off of its hooks 92. The regular screens '70 which iit in strips 87, 88 can then be removed by simply loosening nuts 96 of the screen retaining brackets 97. Eaves 98 are secured along the inner side of the body'walls 10, 11 and overhang the shoe sides 48, 50 as best shown in Figures 4, 5. Suilicient room isprovided between these eaves 98 and shoe sides 48, 50 so as to permit reciprocatory swinging movement between these parts. These eaves prevent accumulation nf material along the shoe sides and also prevent grain oss.

It will be noted (Figure 2) the baille extends above the upper screen 70. When operating on a hillside the machine is tilted in a transverse direction and the baille also acts to keep thematerial from shifting entirely to one side of the shoe and therefore enchances more efficient operation in this manner.

` It will now be appreciated by those skilled in this art that a plurality of these intermediate baille plates may be provided across the width of the shoe. By this means the air is evenly distributed across the shoe and prevented from seeking a path of least resistance therethrough. Separate streams of air under pressure are maintained throughout the entire length of travel through the shoe. By this eicient use of air pressure a smaller volume fan, either in Vsize or rpm., can be utilized. Furthermore, a more rigid and stronger cleaning shoe results from this construction.

It should be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above described forms and details.

and that the invention includes. such other forms and, ,modlfications as are embraced by the scope of the appended claims.

l. claim:

l. In a combine, a cleaning shoe including two laterally spaced and substantially vertical side walls extending in a fore and aft direction in respect to the direction of combine travel, a. substantially vertical baille plate between and substantially coextensive with said walls andextending generally in said fore and aft direction, said Walls and plate being rigidly secured together'and adapted to be reciprocated as Va unit, said walls and plate having opposed pairs of complementary guide means for slidably receiving a plurality of vertically spaced screens therebetween, said guide means per-v mitting said screens to be slidably received from the aft end of said combine.

2. In a combine, a cleaning'shoe comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced, vertical side walls adapted to ,extendV longitudinally of a combine, a baille plate positioned intermediate said walls and extending generally parallel thereto, the opposite sides of said bafile plate and the opposed sides of said walls having a plurality of vertically spaced, opposed pairs of horizontal guides, the guides of each pair lying in a common plane and each pair between one wall and the baille plate being horizontally alined with a pair between the other wall and the baille plate, a plurality of screens With each screen being slidably iitted within a pair oi said opposed guides so as toV define a plurality of vertically spaced screen layers extending between said side walls and divided by an intermediate baille plate, and means for locking each of said screens within their respective guides. g A

3. In a combine, a cleaning shoe comprising, in combination, a pair of laterally spaced, vertical side wallsY extending longitudinally of the combine, a baille plate positioned intermediate of said walls and extending generally parallel thereto, said side walls and said baille plate being rigidly connected to form a unitary box-like structure, the opposite sides ofsaid baille plate and the opposed sides of said walls having a plurality of vertically spaced, opposed pairs of horizontal guides, the guides of each pair lying in a common plane and each pair between one wall of the baille plate being horizontally alined with a pair between the other wall and the bathe plate, a plurality of screens with each screen being slidably fitted within an opposed pair of said guide so as t0 detine Ia plurality of vertically spaced screen layers extending between said side walls and divided by an intermediate ba'le plate, means for locking each of said screens within their respective guides, means to swingably support one end of said box-like wall and plate structure, and means coupled to the other end of said structure for reciprocating the entire shoe.

4. A cleaning shoe for a combine comprising, in com- 20 bination, a pair of laterally spaced, vertical side walls adapted to extend longitudinally of a combine, a bafe plate positioned intermediate said walls and extending generally parallel thereto, the opposite sides of said bafe plate and the opposed sides of said walls dening surface carrying a plurality of vertically spaced, opposed pairs of horizontal guides, said guides being formed of an integral strip of `metal folded longitudinally to deine a screen-edge receiving channel, the upper wall of said strip being folded Iback so `as to slope rearwardly and upwardly from said channel and extending to a vertical plane passing through the back of said channel, the upper edge of said sloping wall being folded to dene a flange lying in said vertical plane and abutting the surface on which theguide is carried, the `guides of each of said pairs lying in a common horizontal plane and each pair between one wall and the baille plate being horizontally alined with a pair between the other wall and the baffle plate, a plurality of screens with each screen being slidably litted within the receiving channels of said opposed guides so as to deline a plurality of vertically spaced screen layers extending between said side walls and divided by an intermediate baffle plate, and means for locking each of said screens within their respective guide channels.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 819,177 Selle May 1, 1906 1,397,339 Sturtevant Nov. 15, 1921 1,773,914 Lunz Aug. 26, 1930 2,156,716 Beckwith May 2, 1939 2,214,277 Hunt et al. Sept. 10, 1940 2,413,382 Sargent Dec. 3l, 1946 2,563,081 Tanner Aug. 7, 1951 2,648,441 Soldan Aug. 11, 1953 2,732,941 Deiss Ian. 31, 1956 

